William louden



(No'ModeL) W. LOUDEN. HAY CARRIER TRACK.

Patented Mar. '7, 1893.

I UN TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM LOU DEN, OF FAIRFIELD, IOWA, ASSIGNOR TO THE LOUDEN MACHINERY COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

' HAY-CARRIER TRACK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 493,216, dated March '7, 1893.

Application filed December 1, 1890. Serial No. 373,250. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM LOUDEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fairfield, in the county of J elferson and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Hay-Carrier Tracks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in hay carrier tracks wherein an inverted metal T-rail is used for the track, and it has for its Object the arrangement of the track hangers so that they can be readily attached to any part of the smaller upper flanges of said rail without having to drill holes in the rail or cut away any part of the flanges, so that it can be properly suspended and the lower and larger flange left free for the passage of the carrier over them, all this being accomplished by the use of my improved track hangers without the employment of any extra clamps or other rigging except the means necessary to hold the hanger in position on the rail. I attain this by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the rail and hanger, showing the hanger held in its position on the rail by a bolt. Fig. 2 is a view in perspective showing a link for holding the sections of the hanger together. Fig. 4 is a view in elevation of one section of the hanger provided with a hook at its upper end as shown in Fig. 1the dotted lines representing the other section of the hanger. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing an eye for the attachment of rafter hooks or brackets, and Figs. 5 and 6 are views in section showing modified forms of rails and hangers.

A represents a metal rail with its central section set in a vertical position and having a small horizontal flange or flanges B on the upper edge of the vertical section and larger horizontal flanges O O on, its lower edge. The upper flange is made small for convenience in attaching the hangers and the lower flanges are made larger to afford room for the wheels of the hay carrier to traverse them.

The track hanger is made in two parts D, D, both pieces being made preferably alike. On the lower end of each part D of the hanger is a flange or shoulder which is adapted to rest under the flange B. The parts D D beof the angular bead or flange shown ing placed together with the flanges fitting under the flange B of the rail A and the Whole may be securely held together by the bolt F.

As many hangers as desired can be fitted on.

devices may be used, such as link L shown in Fig. 2, which is slipped over the parts D D, for holding them together. Again it is not necessary to have two horizontal flanges on the upper edge of the vertical section of the rail, although I consider one on shown in Fig. 1the preferable form. A flange 011 one side, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 will answer but when so made it will be necessary to have a flange on one part D only of the hanger.

The precise shape of the flange B is not essential.' It may be made in the form of a half round or oval bend placed on one or both sides of the vertical section of the rail instead 1 and 5. V

In order to adapt my track hanger to the means in common use for attaching the hangers of hay carrier tracks to the roofs of barns each side as in Figs.

or other places where theyare used I have constructed the upper end of my hanger in two forms. In Fig. 3 the upperend of the hanger is provided with an eye while in Figs. 1 and 4 hooks are shown on the upper ends of the parts. taching to rafter hooks or brackets open at one end, but the hooks are preferable for attaching to eyes or to brackets having both ends connected to the rafters.

The former will answer for at- 8 As shown in Fig. 1 the free or outer ends of 0 theparts D D are oppositely or reversely curved forming hooks R R of the same form, so that when'fitted together, the openingof the hook of one part will be closed by the shank of the hook of the other part, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 4. By this construction the hanger is easily attached to any sustaining device and then the hook is when the attachment to the rail is made. To

hold the parts D D comprising the hanger more securely together and prevent them from slipping on each other, I form projecclosed tions M and recesses N on the adjoining sides of the parts D D so that when fitted together, the projection M on the one part will fit into the corresponding recess N on the other part. When hooks are formed on the upper ends of the hangers, these corresponding projections and recesses fitting into each other as herein shown, will greatly strengthen the hanger. In order to make the grip of the parts D D comprising the hanger, all the more secure on the rail A,I extend the ends 0 O of the parts D D, downward so as to form lips which fit closely against the vertical section of the rail A immediately below the flanges B, and thus help to hold the rail from twisting around between the parts D D should they become somewhat loose. By this means the parts D D can be made lighter and the lips O 0 may be extended downward as far as necessary to properly support the web of the rail between them. Fig. 5 also shows a modified form of rail. The hanger herein described when used in connection with the rail A forms a very cheap, simple, light strong and durable elevated track which can be used with any kind of hay carrier having its wheels fitted to run on the flanges C C of the rail A.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In hay carriers, a track suspending device consisting of two separable parts having means at their lower ends to embrace the edge of a track rail, and at their other ends means to catch over an extraneous supporting device the said parts being arranged side by side, and means for holding the two parts together, substantially as set forth.

2. A track suspending device consisting of two parts having flanges at their lower ends for embracing the flanges of therail, and provided with reversely placed hook connections at their upper ends arranged side by side and means for holding the two parts together, substantially as set forth.

3. The rail having flanges for the wheels of the carrier, and a flange or bead at its upper edge in combination with a two part hanger,

each part having suspending means at one end, a projection and a recess, and means for securing the two parts of the hanger together.

4. The rail having flanges O C and the flange or bead B, in combination with a two part hanger, each part being provided with a recess and a projection the projection on each part adapted to enter the recess in the other part, and means for securing the two parts of the hanger together, substantially as set forth.

5. The rail A having the flanges O C and flange or bead Bin combination with the parts D D comprising the hanger and adapted to hold the rail, the parts D D being provided with hooks which are reversely placed together side by side, substantially as set forth.

6. A track suspending device consisting of two parts having flanges at their lower ends adapted to fit under the flanges of the rail, extensions 0 resting against said web, a suspending loop at the upper ends of the parts and means for holding the two parts together.

7. In a hay carrier, the combination with an inverted T-rail, of a suspending device consisting of two separable parts having means at their upper ends to embrace the upper edge of the rail leaving the side flanges free for the passage of the carrier, a loop at their other ends for attachment to an overhead support, and means for locking the two parts of the suspending device together, substantially as set forth.

8. A track suspending device consisting of two separable parts constructed at one end to embrace the edge of a track rail and at the other end to form a loop, the two parts being arranged side by side and means for holding the two parts together.

9. The rail A having the flanges O, O, and flange or bead B in combination with the pieces D D comprising the hanger and having hooks R and corresponding'proj ections M and recesses N and being adapted to hold the rail A substantially as shown and described.

WILLIAM LOUDEN.

Witnesses:

JOHN BARTHOLOMEW, R. B LOUDEN. 

